The Gentle Shrine Maiden and Her Longing for the Outside World!

Shrine.

In a room in the shrine's rear courtyard, Granny Shiori looked at the girl before her and sank into distant memories.

Back then, she had just returned from traveling outside, drifting through the streets of the royal capital.

When she heard that the Daimyo had had a child, she could not contain herself and floated over.

Ever since becoming the only departed soul remaining in the world of the living, perhaps only the sight of young children could bring a little comfort and hope to Granny Shiori's grief-stricken heart.

When Granny Shiori arrived at the Daimyo's Mansion and saw the newborn Akishinomiya Yuri, she was astonished to discover that this child could actually see her, a departed soul.

Although the people around them at the time still could not see Granny Shiori, Akishinomiya Yuri, lying in her crib, seemed able to see her.

Baby Yuri smiled and waved her chubby little hands at Granny Shiori.

Looking at Yuri waving at her from the bed, Granny Shiori's feelings were far too complicated, far too overwhelming.

No one could understand what she had felt then.

Ever since becoming the only departed soul in the world of the living, how desperately she had longed for someone to see her, to chat and speak with her.

Once she confirmed that Yuri truly could see her, she cherished the girl more than anyone else.

Granny Shiori had even gone to see other newborn children in the royal capital, hoping that they might be able to see her too.

Sadly, those children were completely different from Yuri. They simply could not see Granny Shiori, a departed soul.

Only Akishinomiya Yuri was special.

Disappointed, she could only return to the Daimyo's Mansion and watch over Yuri as she grew up.

Later, as Yuri gradually grew older, Granny Shiori learned from Yuri's descriptions why she could see her, a departed soul.

Yuri's eyes were different from those of ordinary people. Ordinary people could only see the world where the living dwelled.

But Yuri could see both the world where the living dwelled and the sight of people ascending to the Pure Land and Yomi after death.

This small shrine within the Daimyo's Mansion had actually been built by Yuri for Granny Shiori.

Granny Shiori had always believed that the reason she could not enter the world of departed souls after dying was divine punishment, which was why she had asked Yuri to build this small shrine for her.

Usually, Granny Shiori offered her prayers in this shrine as well.

"Granny, snap out of it!!" Yuri mischievously waved both hands in front of Granny Shiori's face.

Granny Shiori came back to her senses. Looking at the mischievous Yuri before her, she smiled gently.

"Little Yuri, what's wrong?"

Yuri sat on a stool, swinging her little legs as she said with a troubled expression, "Um, Granny, I'm thinking about how to send those two Leaf Village ninja back."

The person she most wanted to meet was the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, not two ninja younger than herself. That was why Yuri was so troubled now.

Seeing Yuri's worried face, Granny Shiori smiled and deliberately teased her.

"Little Yuri, if a girl frowns at such a young age, she'll become ugly when she grows up, you know~!"

Yuri's troubled expression immediately changed when she heard that. She quickly made a cute face, even raising both hands beside her mouth to force a smile.

She did not want to become ugly!!

Seeing the earnest, stubbornly serious little girl before her, Granny Shiori also broke into a delighted smile.

Little Yuri, you are the treasure the gods bestowed upon me!

I will not let anyone hurt you!

Granny Shiori floated to the window and looked at the moon in the sky, which was dimmer than usual.

"If you want those two ninja to return to the Hidden Leaf Village, Little Yuri, you can simply tell your father. He won't refuse your request!"

Watching Granny Shiori float to the window, Yuri stopped posing cutely and looked troubled again.

"Even though Father wouldn't refuse if I asked him!"

"Those two ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village have only been here for one day. If they were sent back just like that, they would surely be troubled too!"

"I don't want those two gentlemen to return just because of my personal wishes. If they go back like this, it will probably leave a blemish on their ninja careers!"

That was right. Princess Akishinomiya Yuri was just such a gentle person who always considered others, fundamentally different from everyone else.

Granny Shiori turned around and looked warmly at the adorable Yuri before her.

"If you don't want to do that, you can have them protect you while you go out and have fun for a few days. Then you can just find some excuse to send them back to the Hidden Leaf Village!"

"Little Yuri, haven't you always longed to see the outside world?"

"With those two ninja protecting you, your father will surely agree!"

Yuri hesitated, but after hearing Granny Shiori's words, she was tempted.

Ever since Yuri had been born, she had lived within the Daimyo's Mansion.

She had never had the chance to go outside.

Although life in the Daimyo's Mansion was good, Yuri also wanted to see different scenery and experience a different life.

Besides, she had always learned about the outside world through Granny Shiori before. Now, she finally had the chance to see it for herself.

But why had Granny Shiori, who had always refused to let her go out, agreed today?

Whenever she had wanted to go outside before, Granny Shiori had always refused. So why today...?

Yuri looked at Granny Shiori hesitantly.

"Granny, why are you letting me go out this time?"

Granny Shiori floated before Yuri, gently stroking her little head.

"Because those two ninja can protect you very well, Little Yuri."

Looking at the bewildered Yuri before her, Granny Shiori could not help thinking of the ninja in the Rabbit Mask whom she had sensed that morning.

That Anbu named Yagokoro, who wore a Rabbit Mask, possessed terrifying amounts of Chakra within him.

It was something Granny Shiori had never encountered in any ninja she had seen before.

Even if all the adult ninja she had seen in the past combined their Chakra, they would not have had as much as Yagokoro, the one wearing the Rabbit Mask, had that morning.

That child was even younger than Little Yuri, yet he was already so powerful!

By human standards, someone like Yagokoro should be called a "genius"!

As for the child named White Wolf, who wore a dog mask, he had much less Chakra. Still, compared to the ninja Granny Shiori had seen before, he was quite outstanding.

When Granny Shiori sensed the Chakra within Yagokoro that morning, she had also hoped that this genius might be able to see her.

But to her disappointment, even this genius could not see her at all.

Looking at the adorable Yuri in her red-and-white shrine maiden attire, Granny Shiori thought to herself.

Little Yuri, you truly are one of a kind!

La la la, first update!!

This humble Qingmeng begs online for investments, bookmarks, recommendations, and tips... (づ￣3￣)づ╭~!!